Muslim Brotherhood seeks constitutional panel

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CAIRO, April 12 (UPI) -- The Muslim Brotherhood's political arm in Egypt is working to form a new assembly to draft the post-revolution constitution, a former panelist said.

The High Administrative Court in Cairo announced this week that it ruled in favor of a case challenging a constitutional panel. The challenge claims that it was illegal for members of Parliament to appoint themselves to the body.

The panel consists of 50 MPs and 50 others chosen from outside the Islamist-dominated legislative assembly. The panel was subsequently suspended.

Wahid Abdel Meguid, a former panelist and member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said an effort was under way to restructure the drafting body.

"After the verdict invalidating the formation of the assembly, there is no way other than the political solution, (where everybody) must rise to the level of responsibility," he told the Egyptian Independent news service.

Several political groups walked away from the process after the court's decision.

The Muslim Brotherhood gained political dominance in the post-revolution government in Egypt.

May's presidential election is to be Egypt's first since a popular uprising in early 2011 forced Hosni Mubarak from power after roughly 30 years.